The objective of the ANC has been to build a nonracial, nonsexist and democratic society. The foundation of that nonracial, nonsexist and democratic society is what we refer to as the national democratic revolution.
If we were to build this kind of society, what we essentially need is the realisation that to reverse the atrocities committed for 350 years does not need a miracle of 20 years. In fact, what happened 20 years ago was actually not necessarily a miracle, but the result of the compromises we collectively entered into. We realised they were important for our society to enter into a transition. I think it is unfortunate for some in this House to use the compromises reached 20 years ago and the perks agreed to in the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, Codesa, and in various other negotiations, as political campaigning programmes to suggest that all those compromises were in fact a failure on the part of the ANC when it comes to delivering to our own people.
It is unfortunate to suggest that the compromises that happened at the World Trade Centre and the agreements that were reached at that time were a failure on the part of the ANC. To use that today to get votes when we go to elections next year is actually opportunistic and has to be exposed. This country is where it is today because of the sacrifices and compromises that have been made by the millions of our people, and we must never, ever take that for granted.
Today, as a result of this Bill, trade unions, workers and civil society will be empowered to begin to question why certain people, because of their race, are paid more than other people in the workplace. Today, because of this Bill, trade unions and civil society will begin to question why certain people, because of their race, will be promoted faster than others on the basis of their race. Today, because of this Bill, we will realise the transformation of the workplace. The situation where more than 70% of management in the workplaces were predominantly white and the majority of the population remained on the sidelines of transformation will be history. The majority of the population remain on the sidelines of what this democratic dispensation is supposed to be offering.
Today, because of this Bill, women, black women in particular, will realise the value of our democracy. Today, as a result of this Employment Equity Bill, farm workers, wherever they are, will realise why it was important that in 1994, and even subsequently, they went out to go and vote for an ANC government. It is only because of this Bill that we realise the transformation of our society and direct changes in the lives of our own people. Thank you very much. [Applause.]